Fae Wicca

[Gooding]

My wife's more knowledgable about this than I am, but here are some ideas to work with. Fae Wicca focusses, as do other forms of Wicca, on the Divine as Male and Female in the guise of the God and Goddess, which in turn are manifested in the various pantheons of the world.It's up to the individual Wiccan to choose which pantheon(s) he/she prefers. Fae Wicca, or the Fae Craft, utilizes the aid of the Fae, or Fairy Folk, in their Esbats, Sabbats and everyday life. They usually choose an animal familiar to work with. Here is a link that can explain things more thoroughly and my wife will be monitoring the thread to answer any questions that members might have.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faerie_faith

[Mrs. G]

Thanks hon for that vote of confidence. I will try to answer everyones questions to the very best of my availability.

[Puddle of Mudd]

What's the point in believing in this stuff, is what I want to know?

[Mrs. G]

The same point whe you said that you are a Soldier of Jeebus.

[Puddle of Mudd]

The same point whe you said that you are a Soldier of Jeebus.

I'm an atheist, this is a mock title.

[Psychonaut]

As a preface, let's get the not so pleasant bits out of the way. Wicca was created in the 30s by Gerald Gardner. Back when it was created, many people were duped into believing that it was an actual continuation of some actual pagan practices secretly preserved from pre-Christian times. This, however, was not the case at all. The rituals are clearly simplified modifications of those of the Golden Dawn (written by S.L. MacGregor Mathers) which were taught to Gardner during his tenure in the Ordo Templi Orientis of Aleister Crowley. Similarly, it's theology is a hodge podge of Theosophical notions, simplistic misunderstandings about Tantric duotheism, all under a pseudo-European facade of the Horned God and the Goddess (which, Dr. Stephen Flowers contends in Witchdom of the Tru is a gross misunderstanding of the cults of Freyr and Freyja).

Knowing this, why does one choose Wicca as a mode of religious expression? I can certainly sympathize with the pagan impulse as I am myself a Heathen, but why adopt a religion that is wholly constructed rather than one that has actual historical roots? Certainly Heathenry is not free from innovation; no religion is. However, the very heart of Wicca is a patchwork that just screams 19th century mythography. There's a whole generation of Wiccans who have ignored the actual pagan traditions of the world in favor of the fiction Graves presents in The White Goddess. Why?

[Mrs. G]

If it were not for the wiccan pioneers in the 30's and 40's as well as scholars, please be aware that the Heathen Faith is largely built on interpretaions of the scholars and that practices came out of Steve Mcnallen and other founders of the Asatru faith. Much of the speculation that you accuse wicca of can be applied to few heathen scholars of today.

[Psychonaut]

please be aware that the Heathen Faith is largely built on interpretaions of the scholars and that practices came out of Steve Mcnallen and other founders of the Asatru faith.

That is entirely incorrect. The reconstruction of Germanic Heathenry began in the early 1800s in Germany and Austria.

[Mrs. G]

Here is a link that will give you more about the origins of Asatru. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asatru
After about 1800 OR 1900 years the revival cannot claim to be directly decended from that of the Norse Religion. The Eddas themselves were translated by Christian Monks with a christian slant. The Eddas are the base for modern Norse Religion. And unlike many Asatru today who are practically Aethist in theology the Wiccan's truly believe in the Gods that they choose to work with.

[Psychonaut]

Here is a link that will give you more about the origins of Asatru. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asatru
After about 1800 OR 1900 years the revival cannot claim to be directly decended from that of the Norse Religion. The Eddas themselves were translated by Christian Monks with a christian slant. The Eddas are the base for modern Norse Religion. And unlike many Asatru today who are practically Aethist in theology the Wiccan's truly believe in the Gods that they choose to work with.

a). This thread is not about Heathenry's origins or justifications, it's supposed to be about Wicca's, right?

b). No one claims unbroken descent of Heathen practice, which is why we sometimes call it Germanic Reconstructionism.

c). Most Heathens are not Atheists. Studies have, of course, not been done, but I don't recall meeting many folks in the Heathen community at all who I'd term Atheists. Having a non-absolutist perspective on theology does not an Atheist make.